Restraining device for cattle



Inventor A tto rneys C. L. NORTON RESTRAINING DEVICE FOR CATTLE Flled Oct 4 1946 June 24, 1952 Patented June 2 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RESTRAINING DEVICE FOR CATTLE Clyde L. Norton, Waitsfi eld, Vt; Application October 4, 1946, Serial No. 701,377

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the general art of animal husbandry, the principal object being to provide a restraining device particularly adapted for use in cow barns for limiting lateral movement or action of the cows.

At present a rail structure is usually provided to separate cows in cow barns and milkers at present have to suffer considerable inconvenience due to the obstructive location of such structures, and frequently cows injure themselves against such railing and sometimes cause sores to occur on their bodies due to the habit of leaning against the same. Such railings are generally anchored in the concrete floor and in addition to the above inconveniences and possible injuries to the cows, it has been found very difficult to clean under the cows with such structures in place, the cows being frequently required to back into the trench or trough behind them and into droppings and other foreign matter that may have accumulated therein. The tying and untying of the cows is also made difficult by the presence of such guard rails.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a restraining device adapted to be secured to the posts of cow ties and disposed horizontally so as to provide a. spacer between the shoulder portions of adjacent cows, the device extending horizontally in spaced relation with respect to the floor and to such an extent that should an adjacent cow move against the same she will contact the restraining device at just about the shoulder or just behind the shoulder, this restraining the cow sufficiently to prevent the cow from moving against an adjacent cow, even though both cows have disposed themselves towards each other.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a cow spacing and restraining device which will prevent cows from yielding laterally, while at the same time providing much more space for milking, tying and untying of the cows and clearance for sweeping the floor without in the least disturbing the cows.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a restraining device of the character stated which can be readily applied in present day barns, quickly and in such a manner as to be positive acting and durable in use, the device costing but a trifle to manufacture and install.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following description.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a pair of cows and a pair of the restraining devices mounted for use.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the restraining device.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view.

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 5 denotes the usual concrete floor of a barn in which a trough or droppings trench 6 is formed, behind the cows. Numeral 1 denotes the usual vertical post of the cow ties and it is upon these posts that the restraining devices denoted by numeral 8 and forming the present invention are installed.

Assuming that the posts 1 are pipe or tube material as represented in Figures 3 and 4, the restraining devices are secured to these posts in a manner to prevent vertical as well as rotary movement.

Each restraining device 8 consists of an elongated metal bar or rod of heavy gauge material, bent to provide a loop 9. One end of the loop is bent laterally as at i 0, while the other end is bent laterally as at l I and these end portions I, II are flattened and each formed with a pair of spaced openings to receive bolts l2, l2.

For each of the flattened end portions II], II is a U-clamp l3 having a set screw I4 adapted to be driven against the corresponding post 1 to prevent rotation of the restraining device on the pdst and to also assist in preventing lengthwise movement of the restraining device. The bolts l2 pass through the openings of the flat end portions l 0, l l and through openings in the ear portions l5 of the U-clamp l3, these bolts being provided with nuts l6, which when tightened, firmly clamp the restraining device in place on the corresponding post 1.

As is clearly shown in Figure 1, the rod of the restraining device forms an ovate loop in the form of a single spiral or convolution, extending from the upper clamp structure outwardly and radually downwardly to the under clamp structure. The clamps and the set screws I4 hold the restraining device firmly in place so that any force against the same exerted by [adjacent cows will not affect its position. Rearwardly of the restraining device, there is ample room for the milker and for attendants to get between the cows with safety when cleaning the floor 5.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is In combination with the upright of a cow tie, a restraining device attached to the upright and being in spaced relation to a floor upon which adjacent cows stand, said restraining device comprising an ovate loop in the form of a single convolution having its end portions secured to the upright in vertically spaced relation to each other and the side portions of said loop extending laterally away from each other to lie in a plane substantially parallel to the floor whereby to abut the adjacent shoulder region of a cow standing in said tie.

CLYDE L. NORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

